As most New York teenagers gravitate toward rap or pop music, Vy Higginsen has made it her goal to keep the art of gospel music alive with the next generation. In doing so, she’s created a haven of learning and celebration that is making her singers better students and better citizens. The only challenge is…

By Yolande Brener Although many New Yorkers may not know why the area from 135th Street to 155th Street on the west side is called Hamilton Heights, judging by the large turnout for the opening of his memorial, Alexander Hamilton has plenty of fans.

By Marc Rasbury There is not a person over the age of 15, who does not remember what they were doing around 8:45 am on the morning of September 11, 2001. That is when a large jumbo jet crashed into the World Trade Center Tower One. About 30 minutes later, a second plane crashed into…

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFWHNpfjByQ&w=480&h=390] The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 mobilizes a treasure trove of 16mm material shot by Swedish filmmakers, and co-producer Harlemite Danny Glover ..

Leo O’Brien — the actor who played Bruce Leroy‘s little brother Richie in 1985’s “The Last Dragon” star has assured fans he’s “alright” after he was shot twice on Monday (5, Sep, 2011). The actor, in the cult martial arts movie, was in Harlem, New York when a gunman opened fire on Adam Clayton Powell…

By Walter Rutledge Cecilia Marta Dance Company performed as part of the City Parks Foundation Summer Stage dance series on July 30th at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park and on August 13th at Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem.

HSA to appear on Project Runway, September 1st Emmy-nominated television show, Project Runway will feature The Harlem School of the Arts on the upcoming episode, “The Art of the Matter”. Competing designers are paired with HSA Visual Arts students to create original artwork, inspiring their latest garment challenge.

Duke Ellington When his drummer Sonny Greer was invited to join the Wilber Sweatman Orchestra in New York City, Ellington made the fateful decision to leave behind his successful career in Washington, D.C., and move to Harlem, becoming one of the figures of the Harlem Renaissance.

The second restaurant in Harlem I wanted to review for this summer’s NYC Restaurant Week is Ristorante Settepani.

Eighty years ago this month on August 17, 1931–after a lovely day at the beach celebrating a friend’s birthday– A’Lelia Walker, my great-grandmother and namesake, died in Long Branch, New Jersey.

Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jr., National Hero of Jamaica (August 17, 1887 – June 10, 1940),

By Walter Rutledge The ArtCrawl Harlem 2011 was such a resounding success that an additional tour has been planned for Saturday September 10th, which will precede the September 2nd 100th Birthday of Romare Bearden.

By Yolande Brener When I read about Kierra Foster-Ba’s dance class “without any set choreography and without the self-consciousness of caring what you look like” I was skeptical that many people would be unguarded enough to dance without prescribed movements.

The Hudson River Café is a gem that a lot of people within the Harlem community have yet to discover, but it shines brightly never the less. For one, its “Nuevo Latino” cuisine is helping to diversify our choices within the Harlem community. Two, the presentation of its dishes makes it stand out as “Nuevo…

The 2011 Dance of the Giglio Feast once again returns to East Harlem. It will be held on Pleasant Avenue between 114th and 116th Streets.